Disney CEO Robert Iger appears to be bracing himself for a war with theater owners over his determination to eliminate the delay between the time a film is released in theaters and the time it is released on DVD. In an interview with today's (Monday) Walt Street Journal, Iger said that he had hoped that other studio chiefs would side with him, but he said, "No movie studio really wants to be first because it's like going over the hill first in battle. They don't want to take the most bullets." He said that theater chains have threatened to reduce the number of screens his movies are shown in if he attempts to narrow the gap between their theatrical and DVD release. "We'll have a conversation with theater owners to see whether we can move them more peacefully," he told the Journal. "But I think in the end, it's going to have to be more by force than through negotiation or diplomacy." Iger indicated that he recently proposed to the theater owners that they sell Chicken Little DVDs in their lobbies and share the profits from the sales. "But there's so much fear now about change that no one wants to sit down and have a frank discussion." In the same interview, Iger also indicated that Disney plans a substantial cutback in its feature output in the coming year, remarking, "I don't think the talent pool has expanded enough to feed the number of movies being made. ... At Miramax, we're using the opportunity of ending the relationship with Harvey and Bob Weinstein to cut back our investment in that business by hundreds of millions of dollars."

Iger indicated that he recently proposed to the theater owners that they sell Chicken Little DVDs in their lobbies and share the profits from the sales.

There was a time (around 1997) when I prettymuch looked like James Franco's character in this movie. The braided hairs, the Hawaiian shirts 'n wifebeaters, the big sunglasses, posing with guns while playing rap music, watching SCARFACE in a non-stop loop. So I felt a certain kinship with this movie. But beyond capturing the look and behaviour, writer-director Harmony Korine captures the hypnotic feeling of partying and how good it feels it to be young and just do drugs and dance and grind for hours and days on end. That pulse of adreniline, tits, and music runs through this movie. If tonight is what it means to be young, then this movie takes place tonight, even though I saw it yesterday.

The film won me over with its understanding of the youthful mentality of these four girls who just want to party. Then when James Franco's character shows up, the real plot starts up and revolves around his dream of getting a posse of hot girls to be his henchwomen in a crimewave to take on his rival, who was his childhood best-friend and has an ice cream cone tattooed on face. By the time we get to the part where Franco performs a Britney Spears ballad on an outdoor piano while the girls dance ballet with shotguns while wearing pink unicorn ski-masks, I was in love with this movie.

This is a coming-of-age movie, much like Y TU MAMA TAMBIEN and FOXES, except that it looks and feels nothing like those movies on the surface. It looks more and feels more like MIAMI VICE with its minimalist dialogue and use of lighting, music, and editing to moods. Franco gives an excellent performance and totally commits to playing this guy in a sincere way. The four girls fit well into their roles (Gomez is the timid one, Benson is the daring one, Hudgens is the cockmonster, Korine's wife is the passed-out one). There's this one motif in the movie in which the girls all call their mums or nans and tell them how much fun they are having. All four actresses perform these scenes like they are reading their lines and not having an actual conversation. If it had just been one girl who sounded like that, I probably would've just thought it was bad acting, but all four sounding so dry in these one-sided conversations makes me think it was some sort of deliberate stylistic choice on behalf of Korine.

I think this film is really good. I really enjoyed it and woke up this morning still thinking about it an smiling. Spring break 4-ever, bitchez!

SONY HACK 2017Hackers Threaten to Leak Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales Unless Disney Pays a Ransom

Jordan Crucchiola wrote:Earlier today, reports came in that an unnamed, unreleased Disney movie had been stolen from the company by hackers. Company CEO Bob Iger informed ABC employees at a town-hall-style meeting that a movie had been taken, and that it was being held hostage in exchange for a large sum of bitcoin. Deadline is now reporting that the stolen property is the forthcoming Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales, and that the company is working with the FBI in order to resolve the issue. Iger said that Disney has no plans to pay the ransom, despite the fact that the hackers have threatened to release the entire movie in five-minute-long increments unless the studio antes up with the bitcoin. Parallels are being drawn between this incident and a recent one in which hackers threatened to release the entire fifth season of Orange Is the New Black unless ransom demands where met. Netflix also refused to pay, and the hackers in that case did follow through on their promise, dumping all ten episodes of the upcoming fifth season on the Pirate Bay just last month.

Ryan Lambie wrote:Now, according to Variety, Bruckheimer and Disney have purchased the screenplay for writers Terry Rossio and Bill Marsilii's space race adventure about "a young pilot who makes the Earth Interstellar Racing Team and must take his ship on a perilous journey across the galaxy on the brink of war".

Ben Pearson wrote:But the more fascinating piece of info comes from writer Terry Rossio, who has a writing credit on every Pirates film thus far (including the new one). MoviePilot noticed a relevant section of a blog post from last year in which Rossio explains that Depp vetoed the idea of a Pirates 5 female villain. I’ll let the screenwriter explain why:

The original title of this column was planned to be World Creation Subject to Whim Destruction. Which I think is a pretty accurate summation of the job of screenwriting in general. […]

More recent examples: my television series “Magical Law” lapsed when Gore Verbinski decided to direct “The Lone Ranger” instead. Our theatrical feature “Lightspeed” was put on the back burner when Disney acquired the “Star Wars” franchise. My version of ‘Dead Men Tell No Tales’ was set aside because it featured a female villain, and Johnny Depp was worried that would be redundant to “Dark Shadows,” which also featured a female villain.

Of course there is also the possibility that all those screenplays simply sucked. But usually when I go back to read a screenplay that wasn’t produced, it holds up, often better than the film that was eventually produced. Sometimes it just takes a single decision by a single person, often just a whim, to destroy years of story creation and world-building.

“I just don’t see it. The secret to any successful franchise is picking talented people, and Johnny is absolutely key to the success of Pirates. He’s such a unique character, such an endearing character, and such an irreverent character all in one.”

Capone wrote:At this point, I just assume Johnny Depp is really drunk on screen while playing the stumbling, mumbling Capt. Jack Sparrow. He’d have to be to endure inhabiting a character as underwritten and essentially pushed to the sidelines of his own film series. He has easily become the least interesting figure in the PIRATES movies, especially when put alongside far more interesting anti-heroes as returning pirate Capt. Barbossa (Geoffrey Rush), who has become the world’s most successful pirate, and new villain Captain Salazar (Javier Bardem), a ghost pirate leading a ghost crew who can never leave the water and appear as rotting-corpse apparitions, some with body parts missing (it’s actually rather ghastly, but the effects are so stunning, you almost don’t notice).

TheButcher wrote:THR JULY 29, 2013:Disney, Harvey Weinstein Teaming Up for 'Artemis Fowl'Robert De Niro and Jane Rosenthal will executive produce the adaptation; says Weinstein, "If you would have told me five years ago I would be producing a project with Disney I would have thought you were crazy."

Mia Galuppo & Borys Kit wrote:Harvey Weinstein has been removed as a producer on Disney's Artemis Fowl, The Hollywood Reporter has confirmed.

"We have terminated his services as producer," said a spokesperson for Disney, which has been developing the project with Weinstein for years.

The news comes the day after Disney chairman and CEO Bob Iger spoke out against Weinstein, saying in a Tuesday statement: "Harvey Weinstein’s reported behavior is abhorrent and unacceptable, and it has no place in our society."

While still at Miramax, Weinstein picked up the rights to the Eoin Colfer series during the height of Hollywood’s Harry Potter craze in the early 200s, when many studios were looking to find the next YA fantasy to bring to the screen. When Weinstein and his brother Bob left Miramax in 2005 to form The Weinstein Co., the book rights reverted back to Disney, which at the time owned Miramax.

The project fell into inactivity after the Weinsteins' acrimonious split from Disney, which later sold its stake in Miramax. Disney picked up the rights to the books in 2013, this time with Weinstein on board as a producer. (Robert De Niro and Jane Rosenthal, who were to produce when it was still at Miramax, are exec producing now.)

Artemis Fowl, which follows a 12-year-old genius that runs his family's criminal empire and believes he can prove the existence of fairies, has been heating up this year when the studio dated the movie for an Aug. 9, 2019 release. More recently, director Kenneth Branagh began early casting forays.

Since the revelations of decades of sexual harassment and assault allegations, as outlined in The New York Times and The New Yorker, Hollywood has began to distance itself and from the movie mogul.

TWC has reached out to multiple networks and granted them permission to remove Weinstein's name from the credits, including Project Runway and Paramount Network's Waco miniseries and drama Yellowstone.

CNBC 11/06/2017:21st Century Fox has been holding talks to sell most of the company to Disney

THR 11/7/2017:Beyond the urge for scale may be the fate of their bid for Sky television, the arrest of a Saudi investor and the more immediate need for Rupert and sons to raise cash to possibly take their company private.

CNBC 12/05/2017:Disney and Fox are closing in on deal, could be announced next week

David Faber wrote:Disney and Twenty-First Century Fox are closing in on a deal, and it could come as soon as next week, according to sources familiar with the matter.

CNBC has been reporting that Disney has held talks with the Rupert Murdoch-controlled media company to acquire its studio and television production assets, leaving Fox with its news and sports assets. Fox is also talking with CNBC parent company Comcast, but the talks with Disney have progressed more significantly.

The deal contemplates the sale of Fox's Nat Geo, Star, regional sports networks, movie studios and stakes in Sky and Hulu, among other properties. What would remain at Fox includes its news and business news divisions, broadcast network and Fox sports.

The enterprise value of the Fox assets in the Disney deal is seen as above $60 billion, according to sources. Current Fox shareholders would get one share of the Fox company that remains after the movie and television assets are sold plus shares of Disney in a fixed exchange ratio.

THR 12/14/201:Disney to Buy 21st Century Fox Assets, Including Film Studio; Bob Iger Extends Through 2021

Georg Szalai & Paul Bond wrote:Now it's official. The Walt Disney Co. has agreed to acquire big parts of 21st Century Fox in a deal worth $52.4 billion, or approximately $66.1 billion when including debt, valuing shares of Fox at around $40 apiece while they had traded Wednesday at $32.75.

In another key news update, Disney said that longtime boss Bob Iger has extended his contract as chairman and CEO through the end of 2021.

The acquisition is expected to yield "at least" $2 billion in cost savings "from efficiencies realized through the combination of businesses, and to be accretive to earnings before the impact of purchase accounting for the second fiscal year after the close of the transaction," Disney said.

The companies are preparing for an extended regulatory review and closing process that is seen taking 12-18 months. "The boards of directors of Disney and 21st Century Fox have approved the transaction, which is subject to shareholder approval by 21st Century Fox and Disney shareholders, clearance under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act, a number of other non-United States merger and other regulatory reviews, and other customary closing conditions," they said.

Fox's stock had traded at $25 a month ago, before it was reported the two conglomerates were close to a transaction.

The deal, which has been in the works for weeks and was confirmed early Thursday, will see Disney buying Fox's film and TV studio, the National Geographic and FX cable channels business, regional sports networks, international networks, including Star India, Fox's 30 percent stake in Hulu and its 39 percent stake in European pay TV giant Sky.

Immediately prior to the acquisition, Fox will separate the Fox Broadcasting network and stations, Fox News Channel, Fox Business Network, FS1, FS2 and Big Ten Network into a newly listed company that will be spun off to its shareholders.

The 53-acre Fox studio lot on Pico Boulevard near Los Angeles will stay with that company that will remain under the control of Rupert Murdoch, though it remains to be seen what the plans are for the $425 million piece of property.

Comcast, which had also looked at a possible bid, had on Tuesday said it was "no longer engaged in the review of those assets" and never submitted a definitive offer.

Disney chairman and CEO Robert Iger, 66, has been set to exit his post in 2019, but amid the deal, he has agreed to extend his contract through the end of 2021.

The deal will make Rupert Murdoch, co-executive chairman of Fox, and sons James (CEO) and Lachlan (co-executive chairman), key shareholders of Disney stock. Fox shareholders are expected to end up with about a 25 percent stake in Disney, with the Murdoch family trust owning around 5 percent, according to Bloomberg estimates.

Disney in announcing the deal focused on how "popular entertainment properties" will join the "Disney family," saying: "Combining with Disney are 21st Century Fox’s critically acclaimed film production businesses, including Twentieth Century Fox, Fox Searchlight Pictures and Fox 2000, which together offer diverse and compelling storytelling businesses and are the homes of Avatar, X-Men, Fantastic Four and Deadpool, as well as The Grand Budapest Hotel, Hidden Figures, Gone Girl, The Shape of Water and The Martian—and its storied television creative units, Twentieth Century Fox Television, FX Productions and Fox21, which have brought The Americans, This Is Us, Modern Family, The Simpsons and so many more hit TV series to viewers across the globe."

The Murdochs will be in control of what’s left of Fox. It is understood though that James Murdoch could get offered a senior Disney executive role that he would take on once the transaction closes, but the companies didn't immediately announce anything about his future on Thursday.

"The acquisition of this stellar collection of businesses from 21st Century Fox reflects the increasing consumer demand for a rich diversity of entertainment experiences that are more compelling, accessible and convenient than ever before," said Iger. "We’re honored and grateful that Rupert Murdoch has entrusted us with the future of businesses he spent a lifetime building, and we’re excited about this extraordinary opportunity to significantly increase our portfolio of well-loved franchises and branded content to greatly enhance our growing direct-to-consumer offerings. The deal will also substantially expand our international reach, allowing us to offer world-class storytelling and innovative distribution platforms to more consumers in key markets around the world.”

“We are extremely proud of all that we have built at 21st Century Fox, and I firmly believe that this combination with Disney will unlock even more value for shareholders as the new Disney continues to set the pace in what is an exciting and dynamic industry,” said Rupert Murdoch, executive chairman of Fox. “Furthermore, I’m convinced that this combination, under Bob Iger’s leadership, will be one of the greatest companies in the world. I’m grateful and encouraged that Bob has agreed to stay on, and is committed to succeeding with a combined team that is second to none.”

The deal talks between the sector giants surprised long-time Murdoch watchers as they had always seen the family as buyers rather than sellers. One analyst said the sale was a sign that the Murdochs see the challenges that the entertainment industry has been dealing with, particularly cord cutting and competition from streaming video services, as increasingly difficult to address.

For Iger, who previously acquired Pixar, Lucasfilm and Marvel, this is the biggest deal ever, and it is designed to widen Disney's lead as the biggest content company. In the deal, it acquires Fox’s rights to some Marvel movies and Avatar sequels as it gears up to launch a streaming video service meant to compete with Netflix and Amazon.

On Wednesday, analyst Richard Greenfield of BTIG opined that Disney and Fox would face "stiff" regulatory hurdles to get their deal approved and guessed it would take a year or more.

Under the terms of the agreement, shareholders of Fox will receive 0.2745 Disney shares for each Fox share they hold, subject to adjustment for certain tax liabilities. The exchange ratio was set based on a 30-day volume weighted average price of Disney stock. Disney will also assume approximately $13.7 billion of net debt of Fox.

Justin Kroll wrote:Ridley Scott might have found his next directing project: “The Merlin Saga” for Disney.

Scott’s production company Scott Free is also in negotiations to produce along with Gil Netter. Philippa Boyens is the writer.

Disney and Scott’s reps could not be reached for comment. While a deal isn’t closed yet, sources close to the situation believe this will be Scott’s next movie.

Based on the T.A. Barron books, the series followed the origin story of a young Merlin who would go on to become the mentor of the classic literary character King Arthur.

“Merlin Saga” is one of two films Disney is currently developing based on the Merlin character. The studio is also working on a live-action “Sword in the Stone,” on which Scott also met with execs.

While several films have focused on the King Arthur legend, the only high-profile story to focus specifically on the story of Merlin was the NBC miniseries “Merlin” that starred Sam Neill.

Tendo Nagenda and Foster Driver are overseeing the project.

Scott is coming off one of the busiest years in his career. The latest “Alien” movie, “Covenant,” bowed last May. He just recently released the J. Paul Getty story “All the Money in the World,” which he began shooting shortly after “Covenant.”

“All the Money in the World” star Kevin Spacey was jettisoned following allegations of sexual assault and harassment by a number of men, including Anthony Rapp, who said Spacey made a pass at him when he was underage. Scott made the unprecedented move of replacing Spacey with Christopher Plummer and reshot his scenes in a matter of weeks in time for the film’s Christmas Day release.

Justin Kroll wrote:Ridley Scott might have found his next directing project: “The Merlin Saga” for Disney.

Scott’s production company Scott Free is also in negotiations to produce along with Gil Netter. Philippa Boyens is the writer.

Disney and Scott’s reps could not be reached for comment. While a deal isn’t closed yet, sources close to the situation believe this will be Scott’s next movie.

Based on the T.A. Barron books, the series followed the origin story of a young Merlin who would go on to become the mentor of the classic literary character King Arthur.

“Merlin Saga” is one of two films Disney is currently developing based on the Merlin character. The studio is also working on a live-action “Sword in the Stone,” on which Scott also met with execs.

While several films have focused on the King Arthur legend, the only high-profile story to focus specifically on the story of Merlin was the NBC miniseries “Merlin” that starred Sam Neill.

Tendo Nagenda and Foster Driver are overseeing the project.

Scott is coming off one of the busiest years in his career. The latest “Alien” movie, “Covenant,” bowed last May. He just recently released the J. Paul Getty story “All the Money in the World,” which he began shooting shortly after “Covenant.”

“All the Money in the World” star Kevin Spacey was jettisoned following allegations of sexual assault and harassment by a number of men, including Anthony Rapp, who said Spacey made a pass at him when he was underage. Scott made the unprecedented move of replacing Spacey with Christopher Plummer and reshot his scenes in a matter of weeks in time for the film’s Christmas Day release.